CD-5 APPENDIX CD – 5 Duke Energy Progress Lake Tillery Shoreline Management Plan I-2 Yadkin-Pee Dee Hydroelectric Project No. 2206 Lake Tillery Shoreline Management Plan Progress Energy Carolinas, Inc. December 19, 2011 I-3 I-4 TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY............................................................................................................. v 1.0 INTRODUCTION................................................................................................................. 1 1.1 Project Area Description.......................................................................................... 1 1.2 Project Operations and License Requirements ........................................................ 3 1.3 Purpose and Goals ................................................................................................... 3 1.4 History of the Shoreline Management Plan ............................................................. 4 2.0 DESCRIPTION OF NATURAL RESOURCES .................................................................. 5 2.1 Water Quality ........................................................................................................... 5 2.2 Aquatic Resources ................................................................................................... 5 2.3 Terrestrial Wildlife Resources ................................................................................. 6 2.4 Rare, Threatened and Endangered Species and Special Natural Communities ....... 7 2.5 Nonnative Aquatic Vegetation Management Efforts ............................................. 11 2.6 Recreation Resources............................................................................................. 12 2.7 Cultural Resources ................................................................................................. 14 3.0 SHORELINE MANAGEMENT ......................................................................................... 15 3.1 Shoreline Habitat Assessment ............................................................................... 15 3.2 Shoreline Classifications ....................................................................................... 18 3.3 SMP Guidelines ..................................................................................................... 24 4.0 CONSULTATION WITH STAKEHOLDERS (RESOURCE AGENCIES, PROPERTY OWNERS, AND THE PUBLIC) ........................................................................................... 1 5.0 MONITORING AND ENFORCEMENT MEASURES ...................................................... 2 6.0 PUBLIC OUTREACH AND EDUCATION ........................................................................ 3 7.0 SMP REVIEW AND UPDATE PROCESS ......................................................................... 4 8.0 REFERENCES ..................................................................................................................... 5 i I-5 LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1. Yadkin-Pee Dee River Project, Lake Tillery Development ........................................... 2 Figure 2. Yadkin River Goldenrod (in flower) located at Area 2 in Lake Tillery headwaters .... 10 Figure 3. Shoreline classifications of Lake Tillery - Sheet 1 of 2 ............................................... 22 Figure 3. Shoreline classifications of Lake Tillery - Sheet 2 of 2 ............................................... 23 LIST OF TABLES Table 1. Comparison of shoreline aquatic habitat types, 2000 versus 2011, and the percent increase or decrease of mapped habitat units and mapped linear shoreline distance.. .......................................................................................18 Table 2. Current shoreline land use classification totals ......................................................21 APPENDICES Appendix A Guidelines for the Use of Leased Properties at Lake Tillery Appendix B Lake Tillery Shoreline Aquatic Habitat Mapping Study Appendix C Landscaping With Native Plants in a Riparian Buffer Area Appendix D A List of Nonnative Plants to Avoid Planting Appendix E North Carolina Natural Heritage Program Rare Plant and Animal Species Maps Appendix F Stakeholder Comments and Progress Energy Carolinas Response Matrix ii I-6 ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS ASM Archaeological Sensitivity Model CSA Comprehensive Settlement Agreement FERC Federal Energy Regulatory Commission GIS geographic information system Guidelines Guidelines for the Use of Leased Properties at Lake Tillery NAVD North American Vertical Datum NCDWQ North Carolina Division of Water Quality NCNHP North Carolina Natural Heritage Program NCWRC North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission NRHP National Register of Historic Places PEC Progress Energy Carolinas, Inc. RTE rare, threatened, and endangered SHPO State Historic Preservation Office SMP Shoreline Management Plan USFWS United States Fish and Wildlife Service iii I-7 iv I-8 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The Tillery Hydroelectric Development is located on the Yadkin-Pee Dee River in Stanly and Montgomery counties in south-central North Carolina. Lake Tillery is the hydroelectric development’s reservoir and has almost 118 miles of shoreline. The Tillery Development is part of the Yadkin-Pee Dee Hydroelectric Project (FERC Project No. 2206) which also includes the downstream Blewett Falls Hydroelectric Development. The Yadkin-Pee Dee Hydroelectric Project is owned and operated by Progress Energy Carolinas, Inc. (PEC). PEC manages the shoreline to accommodate the variety of uses that take place within the Lake Tillery project boundary. PEC actively manages shoreline activities at Lake Tillery through shoreline classifications, its lease1 program, dock permitting program, and “Guidelines for the Use of Leased Properties at Lake Tillery” (Appendix A). PEC filed the initial Lake Tillery Shoreline Management Plan (SMP) in December 2001. On November 24, 2004, FERC issued an Order approving the SMP with certain modifications. The Order approved PEC’s commitment to update the Lake Tillery SMP every 10 years. PEC is providing this update to comply with the 10-year review period. This Lake Tillery SMP fulfills PEC’s commitment to review and update the SMP every 10 years. PEC’s goal for the Lake Tillery SMP to balance the protection and enhancement of the environmental, scenic, and recreational values provided by Lake Tillery and the surrounding project lands, while ensuring the continued safe and reliable production of hydroelectric power at the project. Specifically, this SMP provides a framework to assist in the protection of rare, threatened, or endangered species; wetlands; aquatic emergent vegetation; naturally vegetated buffers; and other important fish and wildlife habitats within the project boundary. This SMP includes a description of project operations and license requirements, as they affect the management of the shoreline of the Lake Tillery. PEC has developed long-term management goals for the protection and development of its lands. PEC’s goal in managing its lands and planning for the long-term use of its lands within the project boundary is to balance the competing interests that are vying for the resources offered by the Lake Tillery and its surrounding shoreline. As part of this SMP update, PEC has classified all of the land within the project boundary according to allowable uses. The shoreline was first classified during development of the initial SMP using aerial photographs and on-site observations, as well as information about PEC leased lands. The shoreline classification system was reevaluated and the number of classifications was reduced from 10 to 3 categories. The purpose was to provide a more focused management approach while reducing confusion between the classifications for shoreline residents. The three classification categories are: (1) Integrated Use—This classification acknowledges and accommodates the presence of existing uses and allows for potential future private, public and commercial uses. These 1 A lease is a written document by which the rights of use and occupancy of land and/or structures are transferred by the owner to another person or entity for a specified period of time in return for a specified rental. v I-9 shoreline areas have no known significant environmental/cultural resources or associated resource management goals that would preclude existing or future shoreline uses. However, some of these shoreline areas may have environmental attributes that require certain additional protection guidelines for permitting of shoreline structures to occur (i.e., Impact Minimization Zones). (2) Resource Protection and Management—Shoreline areas designated for species protection and environmental purposes. This classification is to protect habitat, areas of cultural significance, physical character, and aesthetic attributes of particular shoreline areas. These areas may include wetlands, steep slopes, sensitive aquatic or terrestrial species or their habitat, and islands. This designation is also applied to the shoreline bordering Morrow Mountain State Park. (3) Project Works—Shoreline areas that contain project infrastructure and have public access restrictions for safety, security, operational, or other constraints. This classification includes project facilities such as public recreation sites and other civil-related infrastructure (e.g., bridges, transmission or gas line rights-of-way). Project works includes shoreline areas reserved for uses associated with project operations or fulfillment of FERC